Tony Serviente

Serviente Glass StudiosIthica, NY

I was born in 1956 in the Wonder Bread suburbs of NJ. Allen Ginsberg’s Howl was being read in coffee houses in Greenwich Village and the broken toothed skyline of New York City was my eastern view. On a hot summer night I could almost hear the jazz blowing across the Hudson River. I steeped in this potent liquor for 18 years then got on a Greyhound bus. The trip hasn’t ended.

I have always liked to be busy, and glass has been receptive to my caffeinated activities. My vitreous explorations began 23 years ago with stained glass. I built windows and lamps and taught classes of all ages and levels. In 1990 I spent a summer at the Pilchuck glass school and learned many new techniques, among them kiln and torch work, neon and glass blowing. I got back to my studio and immediately changed direction, focusing on the more arcane aspects of kiln forming. This continues to be my focus though I still teach, learn and maintain an active stained glass studio. My background as an electronics technician has contributed to the skills I need in the endeavor including equipment fabrication, precise record keeping and an experimental approach to problem solving.

In my work, the creative spirit must have a friend in the scientific mind, so I am always trying to cultivate both. My designs are informed by my beliefs as a Quaker. I try to keep a sense of silence in the work while honoring the light that surrounds us all. I am inspired by the grand wonders of the cosmos, as well as the pedestrian occurrences that fill my day.